NoDopeOnSundays wrote:NewKnicks wrote:If Trae and the Hawks beat Philly, it will put a lot more respect back on our Knicks. We should all hope for ATL to win.
If the Hawks beat the Sixers they're now the new young power in the East and brownie points for only losing in 5 doesn't really mean much in the grand scheme. It's not like we were close the last 3 games, they beat us badly, and the question is how do we close the gap between us and them?
I wish I had the answers on how to close the gap. If there was some way to get Dame, I'm all in. Empty the cupboard and roll with Dame/Randle, and hope to get a third star. But that's not going to happen. I think Dame stays in Portland.
We are kind of locked into what we have at this moment. We just have to hope that we draft really well, and maybe get a starter level player out of one of our draft picks. We're keeping Randle (obviously), and then we have to hope that RJ becomes more than just a corner 3 and D guy as he continues to grow. I don't see RJ becoming anything more than a 3-4 on a championship roster. I know you disagree with that, and he's only 20 so I can't say you're going to be wrong. That's just my opinion.
So that said.. what do we do?
1. Make Randle earn his next contract next year. If he puts up the same numbers, the Knicks will have to give in and give him a bag. I get the idea of trying to sign him now to save a lot of money, but with that collapse against the Hawks, we just can't tie all that money up with him yet.
2. Hope RJ becomes a really, really good player
3. Hope IQ and Obi continue to get a lot better
4. What to do with Rose? One argument is we HAVE to re-sign him, because he's been our best player. But he's 32, and even he admits to getting tired toward the end. He's getting old and is not really a piece of the future. I'm starting to think it's better to let Rose walk. We're not winning any chips in the next 2-3 years, which is probably his window before he falls off the cliff. This won't be popular, but let him walk and roll with the youth.
5. Draft Ayo or Cooper. Personally, after watching Ayo during his whole career at U of I, I think he's a keeper. I really don't want Cooper, but we need more talent at the PG position, and he is talented. I just don't know if he can overcome being so short and not a good shooter at this point. So take Ayo with one of our picks.
6. Sign a PG free agent. And NOT Lonzo. We need someone with the ilk of a DRose. Someone who can break down defenses, and Lonzo is not that type of player. It's going to cost a LOT of money to sign him, and let's keep that money for other players. We don't yet know which PG's might be available in a few months, No to Lowry as well, for the same reasons. We're not winning in the next 2-3 years, so there really is no purpose to sign him. If our FO is good, they can find a PG out there who is young, and has future potential to be a really good ball distributor and a shot maker. Maybe this is a player who is not getting a lot of time yet on another winning roster. If our FO is great at evaluating talent, they might be able to discover a gem out there.
7. If we package our picks to move up. How far can we get? If we can get into 7-12, we have a chance at finding a true difference maker in the draft. At this point I think I've settled on keeping both picks, as we simply lack talent. Take two players in the 20's, and hope we hit like we did with IQ
8. Thibs needs to add a young, brilliant offensive minded coach underneath. Maybe even someone to groom as his replacement (I know Thibs won't see it this way, obviously). But I like this idea. Some up and coming young assistant out there. Someone who can balance out Thibs old defensive, grind it out strategies. This wasn't Thibs fault, but he could use an infusion of 'new NBA' offensive strategies.
9. Pray the slow game works out. Unless we do get a chance at a Dame/Kawhi (I still don't think it can happen), just play the long game.
TLDR: Don't re-sign DRose. That might put us back in the lottery again, which is fine by me. Let RJ/Quick/Obi/Mitch grow for a few more years before going all in, unless some superstars pop onto the market at an unexpected time.
NoDope: Would love to hear your thoughts on this coming offseason, and our roster going into next year. I respect your takes a lot.
